North Shore Fires Recovery Fund: How Funds Will Be Distributed
Since the 2025 fire season, communities across the North Shore of Conception Bay have shown extraordinary resilience, generosity, and care for one another. Many individuals and community leaders have been working hard to support the community’s recovery. The North Shore Fires Recovery Fund was created to support those who lost their primary residence in the fires. Today, we are sharing how those funds will be distributed.
The Fund has raised just over $250,000, made possible by hundreds of donors, near and far, who gave when it mattered most. Thank you. If you would like to contribute before funds are disbursed this spring, you can donate here. Your generosity is making a real difference for everyone rebuilding on the North Shore.
What We Heard from the Community
In developing the distribution approach, the Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (CFNL) listened to residents and community leaders across the North Shore. We heard that the support needs to be:
- Fair and transparent
- Simple to access
- Delivered in a timely way
- Flexible enough to reflect individual circumstances
How Funds Will Be Distributed
Based on this input, funds will be distributed equally among the over 100 households whose primary residence was destroyed. With current funding levels, each household can expect to receive approximately $2,000.
Each eligible household will be able to choose how to proceed. Options include:
- Receiving the funds this spring
- Declining all or part of the funds so they can support households with greater needs or fewer resources
- Holding the funds while multi-unit housing options are explored
If you would like to stay informed about potential housing initiatives, you can indicate that in the application regardless of which option you choose.
This approach is intended to respect individual situations while maintaining fairness across all affected households.
Supporting Multi-Unit Housing Options
We recognize that many households, particularly those who are uninsured or underinsured, are facing significant barriers to rebuilding. To help address this, 10% of the total fund (approximately $25,000) will be reserved to explore multi-unit housing solutions. If no multi-unit housing solutions move forward, those funds will be distributed to eligible households.
Participation in any future housing project is entirely optional. If you choose to hold your portion while these projects are explored, you will be able to change your decision before any commitments are made.
Who Is Eligible
CFNL is using the same verified list of destroyed primary residences as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Canadian Red Cross. Whether you own or rent your primary residence, your household is eligible. A residence is considered a primary residence if the person lives there for at least 6 months each year.
What Happens Next
If your household is eligible, you will receive a direct email or phone call with application details. The application process has been designed to be as simple as possible and will remain open until June 7, 2026, or until all eligible households have submitted applications, whichever comes first.
If you lost a primary residence and did not receive an email, check your junk or spam folder and then reach out to info@cfnl.ca.
Once all funds have been distributed, the North Shore Fires Recovery Fund will close to donations. The Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to support future recovery projects.
This fund reflects the generosity of those who care about Newfoundland and Labrador, and the strength of the North Shore itself. We are committed to ensuring these funds are distributed in a way that is fair, respectful, and responsive.
If you have further questions, you’re welcome to reach out to us at info@cfnl.ca or (709) 753-9899.